Key.



F. C. EGKERT.

KEY.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1909.

962,558. Patented Jim@ 28,1910.

@NTT

FREI) C. ECKERT, OF WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN.

KEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 8, 190.9.

Patented J une 28, 1910.

Serial No. 506,519.

To all lwhom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED C. ECKERT, a citizen of the United States,residing at l/Vaukesha, in the county of Waukesha and State ofVisconsin, have invented a new and useful Key, of which the following isa speciiication.

This invention relates to keys for locks such as used on doors and thelike and its object is to combine with a key means whereby the same canbe positively prevented from rotating, it being thus impossible forpersons to surreptitiously turn the key from outside the door or otherobject in which the lock is located.

Another object is to provide a device of this character which, when notin use, is completely housed within the shank of the key and will notcatch in any object contacting therewith, thus permitting the key to becarried in the pocket as ordinarily.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in certainnovel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter morefully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention hasbeen shown.

In said drawings z-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a key constructedin accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a similar viewshowing the guard strip and eye shifted out of their normal positionsand into the positions assumed by them while the key is locked againstrotation within a lock. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section throughthe key and showing the guard strip, eye and stem in elevation.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates theshank of a key, the same being provided with a longitudinal slot 2preferably extended at right angles to the plane occupied by the ward 3of the key. One end of the shank 1 is forked as indicated at 4, and alongitudinal groove 5 extends from this fork to the slot 2. A stem 6 ispivotally mounted within the forked end of the shank 1 and is providedat one end with an eye 7, such as is usually provided at one end of akey shank, while the other end of the stem 6 is designed to normallyrest within the longitudinal groove 5.

A guard strip 8 is pivotally mounted within the slot 2 and is so shapedas to completely lill said slot when the strip is completely housed inthe shank, one end of said guard strip being provided with a tongue 9which constantly locks the inner end of the stem G and normallycooperates therewith to completely lill the groove 4 in which said stemis designed to rest. A shoulder' is formed at the end of the tongue 9 asindicated at 10 and a longitudinal groove 11 is formed within the underor inner face of the tongue and opens into a socket 12 formed within theshoulder 10. The groove 11 is designed to receive the stem 6 when theparts are housed within the shank, the end of the stem at this timeprojecting into the socket 12. When the parts are thus housed it isimpossible for dirt to accumulate between them. i

Tn using the device herein described the key is inserted into the lockas ordinarily and turned so as to shift the bolt of the lock. After thisshifting action has occurred and while the ward of the key is extendedat an angle to the key-hole the operator swings the eye 7 of the keydownwardly upon its pivot, thus causing the stem 6 to press upwardlyagainst the tongue 9. This will cause the opposite portion of the strip8 to swing downwardly into the key-hole and thus positively prevent thekey from rotating within the lock. The stem 6 is designed to assume aposition at right angles to the tongue 9 and when thus located it willbe apparent that no manipulation of the projecting lowered end of thestrip 8 will result in the return of said strip to the key shank. Theonly way in which the key can be rotated within the lock is by graspingthe eye 7 and returning the stem 6 and the tongue 9 into the housing,this being only possible of course when a person is within reach of thekey. When the stem 6 is swung into the shank its end moves into thesocket 12 and thus operates to swing the strip 8 back into the slot.

As heretofore pointed out a device such as herein described can bereadily carried in the pocket, because it has no projecting parts likelyto tear or otherwise injure any fabric contacting therewith. The key isof very simple construction, being formed of but three parts, to wit,the shank, the retaining strip, and t-he eye stem.

It will be noted that the shank 1 is provided with an annular bead 13.This bead is important in that it prevents the insertion of any longthin instrument through the key-hole in which the key is seated and pastthe guard strip and into Contact With the eye 7.

It is of course to be understood that various changes may be made in theconstruction and arrangement of the parts Without departing from thespirit or sacricing the advantages of the invention.

What is claimed is l. A key including a shank, a guard pvotallyconnected thereto and adapted to swing laterally therebeyond, and meanspivotally connected to the shank and movable laterally there-beyond forshifting the guard into position to hold the shank against rotationWithin a lock, both the guard and its actuating means being movable in aplane extending longitudinally of the shank.

2. A key including a slotted shank having a Ward extending therefrom, aguard strip pivotally connected to the shank and normally housedwvithinthe slot, and means pivotally connected to the shank for shifting theguard strip beyond the shank to hold said shank against rotation Withina lock.

3. A key including a longitudinally slotted shank having a Wardextending therefrom, a guard strip pivotally mounted Wit-hin the slotand normally housed therein, an eye pivotally connected to the shank andhaving a stem projecting into the slot, said stem engaging the guard andconstituting means for shifting the guard out of the slot to hold theshank against rotation Within a lock.

el. A key including a shank, a holding member pivotally mounted therein,said member having a tongue extending therefrom, there being a socketWithin the member and adjacent the tongue, and a stem pivotallyconnected to the shank'and movably mounted upon the tongue and Withinthe socket, said stem operating to shift the holding member into and outof the shank.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aiiixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

FRED C. ECKERT.

Witnesses: Y

A. L. BLAcKsToNE, T. L. J. FRAME.

